AJ Blubaugh Recognized As Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week

Sugar Land Space Cowboys RHP AJ Blubaugh has been named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 18 through 23 as announced Monday by Minor League Baseball.

Blubaugh started on Friday night for the Space Cowboys in El Paso and fired 6.1 shutout innings, giving up just three hits with two walks and five strikeouts. After allowing a lead-off single and walk to begin the night, Blubaugh got out of the first on a strikeout and a double play. It kicked off a stretch where Blubaugh faced the minimum over the next 14 hitters, giving up just one hit in the third inning that was canceled out on a double play, one of two twin killings Blubaugh got on the night. The right-hander retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth and stranded a lead-off single at first in the sixth, striking out two in the process. Blubaugh recorded the first out in the seventh but was lifted after issuing a walk, which was later erased on a caught stealing. Sugar Land would go on to win 3-0, the Space Cowboys third shutout of the year.

This week, Blubaugh was the only qualified starter the Pacific Coast League that did not allow a run and was one of three qualified pitchers who did not allow an earned run. The outing tied Blubaugh’s longest start of his career after he also went 6.1 innings on April 17 against Round Rock at Constellation Field. Selected in the seventh round of the 2022 by the Astros out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Blubaugh is 5-2 this year with a 3.58 ERA in 13 appearances, 12 starts, with Sugar Land, striking out 56 in 60.1 innings of work. Rated as the Astros’ #7 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Blubaugh is currently third among qualified pitchers in the Pacific Coast League in ERA, fifth in batting average against (.261) and sixth in WHIP (1.38).

This is the 11th time in franchise history that a Space Cowboys’ hurler has been named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week and the second of the season for Sugar Land after RHP Blair Henley was honored for the week of May 21 through 26.

After clinching the first half Pacific Coast League title, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys begin the second half of the season on Tuesday night at home against the Tacoma Rainiers. Neither team has named a starter for a 7:05 pm CT first pitch at Constellation Field. The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online here and seen on MiLB.TV, MLB.TV or Bally Live.

ABOUT THE SUGAR LAND SPACE COWBOYS:

The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros and compete in the Pacific Coast League. They began play as the Astros Triple-A affiliate in 2021 and began playing under the Space Cowboys brand in 2022. The Space Cowboys play at Constellation Field, located at the corner of Hwy-6 and US-90 Alternate in Sugar Land, Texas. Follow the team on Twitter (@SLSpaceCowboys), Instagram (@slspacecowboys), Facebook (SLSpaceCowboys) and their official website (slspacecowboys.com). Fans can purchase full-season and partial-season plans, as well as single-game tickets, by visiting slspacecowboys.com/tickets.